Editor's Corner

Some Meanderings...

There are signs that the new generation of jazz musicians
is having an increasing impact in Kansas City, and there seems to be an audience following along.
The evidence? We can start with some new bands that are getting noticed. Drummer Arnold Young is enthusiastic about the new ensemble that he has been rehearsing, and I understand that they have played at The Brick. Bassist Jeff Harshbarger is now presenting “new” music at the Record Bar every other Sunday evening,
with the People’s Liberation Big Band taking the first Sunday of the month. There was a great crowd the evening I heard them. Drummer Brandon Draper has been active with his group. Pianist John Brewer is active
playing late nights at Jardine’s with various groups, he is also instrumental in bringing Mike Moreno to Jardine’s in September. Clint Ashlock is leading a new big band Tuesdays at Harlings. Micah Herman has a fine quartet that is increasing activity, including a late night and mid-week gig at Jardine’s in addition to his jam at YJ’s on Sunday nights. And Mark Lowrey seems to be everywhere, whether it is working solo or with his trio featuring Shay Estes, or with the Barclay Martin Ensemble. I just heard Mark’s trio at JP Wine Bar, another venue with an eclectic musical mix that includes jazz.

It is great that Jardine’s bandstand has been open to some of the new bands. This is obviously bringing some new listeners to the club. It is also promising that clubs not noted for jazz offerings are getting in the mix.
It was fun hearing so many good young players at Matt Hopper’s Blue Monday Jam at the Blue Room recently. On this particular evening there was a steady stream of young horn players, both high school and college, a pianist who I understand is in high school (I wish I had gotten his name) who was very impressive, and hearing these guys sharing the stage with an obviously
enthusiastic wise old pro like Dwight Foster was fun, indeed.
It’s just more evidence that the future of the music is in good hands.
I’ve talked with a few people about this surge. It’s been pointed out to me that a decade ago one might have been a little discouraged, as there weren’t that many emerging young players. Some of you may have other ideas, but it seems to me that the initial group that fueled the surge were from Clarence Smith’s program at the Paseo Academy. That was an outstanding group, including Jake Blanton, Logan Richardson, Harold O’Neal, and Seth Lee. It was just after this that Bobby Watson returned to Kansas City to lead the program at UMKC and increased its stature and visibility. Not as noticeable are several key high school programs, Leon Brady’s youth jazz program program, programs at Kansas City Kansas Community College and Johnson County Community College led by Jim Mair and Ron Stinson, respectively. These programs all win awards and have produced excellent players. Also less apparent are the musicians who give private lessons and serve as adjunct faculty at the colleges, the fact of the matter is that they play an immeasurable role in the growth of the younger players.
All of this surge has occurred despite the many who have left Kansas City. Logan Richardson, Solomon
Dorsey, Kevin Cerovich, Adam Kaback, Krystle Warren, and Chris Hazelton have moved, they were all a part of this surge. But, there have been additions as well, as John Brewer and Micah Herman returned, and Brandon Draper arrived from New Mexico.
Speaking of Logan, he just had a gig at Smalls in New York, and his band continues to sizzle. They basic Richardson quintet includes vibes, guitar, bass, and drums, and it produces a depth of sound that is nothing like the standards and blues that Logan cut is teeth on in Kansas City. Drummer Tommy Crane, who has played with Logan for quite some time now, is a dynamo, and Mike Pinto’s comping on vibes gives the band a unique free, open sound, none of which is subtle. It is aggressive and intense. The band plays a fairly continuous set, with Logan introducing new themes on his alto before you’ve really digested the last piece. Logan told me that his second CD is due this Fall. He’ll also be coming to Kansas City for a few gigs at that time. More later.
With this issue we will begin a focus on drummers.

Starting with the Q&A with Tommy Ruskin, over the next few issues we will profile the many fine drummers that we hear regularly. We’ve covered Mike Warren and Doug Auwarter in recent years, but the surge mentioned above includes many fine drummers such as Sam Wisman, Tim Cambron, Zack Albetta, and let’s not forget “veterans” like Ray DiMarchi, Keith Kavanaugh, Donivan Bailey, or Jurgen Welge. We hope to profile them all, and a few others as well. As with the series on area saxophonists, we think you’ll understand the depth and variety of drumming talent that we have here.

We miss Ed Fenner greatly. His June memorial at the Gem Theater was a fitting tribute, and I know that the family greatly appreciated the sharing of memories. I was asked to speak, and shared these thoughts:
I had known Ed for a little while, but am really not exactly sure where or how we met. Not exactly.

But I can make a guess:
Where? Someplace where we were enjoying our favorite music.

How? He started talking to me.

Ed talked to everybody, and just got to know everybody. That was very easy for him. He had the ability to make fast friends. He was interested in people.

When we – JAM - were in need for a new advertising manager, Ed stepped up. He became my “partner” on the magazine, a key person on the small team dedicated to JAM. It seems that Ed was always stepping up for the music and especially the musicians he loved. Whether it was JAM or Jazz Friends, the Jazz Calendar or Swope Medical or emceeing a fund raiser for a special cause, Ed consistently stood up and made it happen. He helped bring the jazz community together.
As a result, he was always busy. There was always stuff that had to be done tomorrow…. always so much to do. I’d ask him, “how are you enjoying retirement?” “Right”, he’d say.
We both knew that he never really retired. And that he never would retire.

Gail and I wound up calling him “Fast Eddie”. It just seemed to fit, because he was always out there working it.
He just cared about the music, he cared deeply for the musicians, and wanted to contribute what he could to make our city as good a place as it could be for jazz. And, he wanted to make sure that we were all aware of the treasures we have here, and he knew that cultivation and promotion were needed to preserve and grow this treasure.

I ran into Gerald Spaits last night, and he said: “It’s a huge void”. We all know that. It’s a void for the music, and it’s a personal loss for all of us individually as well.

Ed, my friend, we all thank you for what you gave to us. It just won’t seem right not seeing you out on the town.
And there is another friend of jazz who left town recently, as Dean Weiss moved to a view of Pike’s Peak near Colorado Springs.

Dean was the former owner of the Piano Room in Waldo, and for a time devoted most of the week to jazz. Luqman Hamza, Russ Long, and Kathleen Holeman had regular gigs at the Piano Room. Unfortunately, a sufficient audience never developed,
and Dean abandoned the jazz policy for a more eclectic musical mix. Dean also hosted a great fund raiser for Marillac, and the best of the best in town all showed up to play, and the music was fantastic. Over time, Dean also became a great personal friend, and we spent many a long evening at the bar watching the Royals and listening to some great sounds on the “bar box”. Dean was always excited to hear the latest CD that caught my attention, whether it was the latest Maria Schneider or Bob Brookmeyer gem or a great vocalist such as Tony Bennett, Karrin Allyson, Frank D’Rone, or Johnny Hartman; we both loved the Great American Songbook in the hands of those who could interpret it. They were all great nights, nights to cherish. We hope to see you soon, Dean.

Charlton Price is another great friend who is leaving the area. Charlton came into our life when his friend Don Maggin came to town to visit and spread the word about his fine biography about Dizzy Gillespie. Charlton organized a lunch with the three of us plus Mike Metheny, and soon became part of the JAM family as a writer and distributor. He, too, became a great friend; we spent a great many evenings together around town, and more in my living room, listening to recordings and telling stories. We had this little game, where Charlton would bring some records over to listen to, hand them over to me for consideration, and I would proceed to tell him that I had them all in my collection. There was always one that there was no way that I had. Of course, I did. Charlton has moved to Seattle to be close to family. He’ll continue to contribute to JAM.